


Stay With Me

by jaws_3



Category: Kamen Rider Blade
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Hajime has a nightmare, Hurt/Comfort, Kenzaki gets sick, M/M, Stargazing, discussion of found family, end of series spoilers, everything is fixed via cuddles, idk the fluff this fandom needs my god, lots and lots of cuddles, some drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-12 09:26:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12956265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaws_3/pseuds/jaws_3
Summary: the four times Kenzaki and Hajime “accidentally” share a bed, how it all started, and the one time it isn't an accident at all.





	Stay With Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oneatatime](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneatatime/gifts).



> Happiest of holidays!
> 
> Your KenHaji prompt had so many of my favourite things so I tried to fit them all and I ended up with this massive thing. I amazed myself.  
> As well, the first part might not fit the BEST into canon but, I see your “not fitting into canon properly” and raise you a “I couldn’t suffer through the ending of Blade again to see if this was correct in regards to Kanai”. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it regardless!!

> 0.

Kenzaki still couldn’t believe they had won. That they had, for all intensive purposes, beaten _God itself_.

It had been a tentative plan to begin with, one they hadn’t allowed themselves to put too much faith in. (After all, it did have Mutsuki potentially losing his ability to become a rider.)

How they understood it was that the Battle Fight would continue until there was only one Undead left: the winner. And, the more the number dwindled, the stronger the Joker’s (“ _Not Hajime’s,_ ” Kenzaki would remind everyone) desire to win became. So, they eventually reasoned, why not just add to the battle?

It had been Kotarou to first come up with this plan, quiet and tentative after Kanai’s departure from their home.

“What if… we left some Undead alive?” He had wondered aloud and immediately all eyes were on him. He jerked back at this sudden attention, stumbling a bit as he quickly went to explain himself, “I don’t mean him, that King, but… What if we brought back Shima-san?”

There was silence, until, “That might not be enough.”

Hajime’s voice had been as cold as ever to Kotarou’s ears, stern and unyielding. Kenzaki later wondered if it was him simply refusing to give himself any hope that he may yet survive.

“Then we bring back more!” Kotarou fired back, words tinged a bit more desperate. Kotarou was trying to _save_ him, why did he still seem so ungrateful? Hajime simply glared from his spot on the couch.

“You would trust another Undead? Which one?”

“My queen.” Mutsuki piped in then, sudden and soft, eyes lifting from the ground as hope started to swell within him. “We could bring her back! She sacrificed herself to help me! Maybe she…!”

Mutsuki’s eyes drifted to Tachibana as he trailed off, looking to the older rider for some sign that he agreed. Tachibana had remained quiet, a frown marring his features as he stared into the table before him, quietly contemplative.

Shiori spoke up instead, saying what they had all been thinking, “But, if we release Shima-san, the Category Ace… Would it come back too? I know Mutsuki sealed it, but...”

The frown on Tachibana’s face only deepened as the others sighed and Mutsuki worried his lip. Kenzaki, from his spot next to Hajime, jumped in then.

“Then we defeat it! Like we did before!”

“And if it possesses him again?” Hajime growled, looking off to the back of the couch.

“Then we…!” Kenzaki stopped himself short, unable to speak the rest of what they all knew, his eyes darting to the spot on Mutsuki’s waist where his rider belt would sit. The others followed his gaze, eyes widening in understanding, before they all looked up to meet Mutsuki’s eyes, which were also wide, but with a soft hint of fear.

“Mutsuki…” Tachibana finally spoke here, reaching out to grasp the boy’s shoulder. “If this doesn’t work, if the Category Ace comes back and possesses you again, you understand we might have to destroy your rider belt. Are you okay with this?” Tachibana knew what being a rider meant to Mutsuki, the power to protect the light he wanted in his life.

Mutsuki had contemplated this, quiet and mature for someone so young Kenzaki remembered thinking sadly, before he nodded his acceptance.

“I trust you, Tachibana-san, to save me if anything happens. Like you did before.”

Tachibana seemed startled by this declaration of trust, but didn’t say anything. The hand gripping Mutsuki’s shoulder simply tightened as he returned Mutsuki’s nod.

“Why would you do this for me? Hajime ground out, frustrated and confused by the affection that seemed to be pouring from everyone. “Why would you lose the power you sought for something like me?”

Mutsuki just looked at him, as if he was studying him, before, curiously, he switched his gaze over to Kenzaki. After observing his senior rider for a brief moment, he apparently found his answer, and he turned his gaze back to Hajime to reply firmly, “I want to help.”

Hajime scoffed but before he could break in with anything else Kenzaki knelt beside him and placed a reassuring hand lightly on his arm, “Isn’t this great, Hajime? You won’t have to worry about the Joker anymore.”

Hajime hadn’t been so sure, but when he turned his head to tell Kenzaki this, his tongue fell flat in his mouth. Kenzaki looked so _happy_. So pleased with the idea that he, a monster, might live. And, in that moment, Hajime allowed himself to have a small shred of hope.

“Maybe.”

They had put their plan into action right away, moving out into the field just behind Kotarou’s home. They decided to leave battling Kanai for after, not wanting to risk what would happen if they were to defeat him and leave Hajime the victor.

They formed a loose circle, breaths held, while Hajime stood back, unsure where to fit himself in. He would have left, but whenever he went to leave, Kenzaki, as if sensing his unease, would turn and smile and tell him to just wait a little longer.

(Hajime couldn’t even hate how willing he was to listen to the boy.)

Mutsuki was the only one to transform, while the others held the cards firmly in their hands. They all took one collective breath before:

**REMOTE**

It was a very odd reunion. When the Undead arrived they were in their Undead forms and there was a spell of tense silence as they remained almost perfectly still. Then, as if snapping from a trance, both the King and Queen reverted to their human form and stared at the others in polite bafflement.

“Mutsuki?” it was the Queen who spoke first. “Is that you?”

And suddenly it was if any trace of worry vanished and a surge of noise took its place. Mutsuki almost seemed to yelp as he threw his arms around the tiger undead in what must have been a very startling embrace for her, as Mutsuki was still Leangle, while Kotarou and Shiori happily cheered and grabbed both of Shima’s arms.

(It took them all a few moments to quiet down and to explain their plan. Shima had smiled and Hikaru had scoffed at them before affectionately, and roughly, ruffling Mutsuki’s hair.)

It seemed like there wouldn’t be any problems, which only left the final King, Kanai.

They all moved together, not wanting to risk anyone fighting him alone. It was almost over too quickly. With everyone finally moving in synch, finally fighting _together_ , they made short work of Kanai. Mutsuki had stayed back, both Shima and Hikaru not wanting to risk him transforming again without them, but they had all still gone to witness what would hopefully be their final battle.

When they won, Kanai had laughed, green blood spilling from his mouth as he spat out that their _God_ would not let this lie before his belt cracked open and he was glaring at them from within his sealed card.

The stillness of their victory was brief and broken by Hajime’s cry that devolved quickly into the Joker’s hiss.

It seemed Kanai had not been lying.

Hikaru moved quick, positioning herself between her charge and the Joker while Shima stepped toward Kenzaki, who had turned to him, fear and distress clear in his eyes. (“I was terrified,” Kenzaki would later admit, shyly, under a blanket of stars, “That, after everything, I was still going to have to seal you. I don’t think I could have done it.” Hajime still doesn’t like to think about what they could have done as an alternative.)

“Our God does not let things go easily.” Shima explained. “But there is not much else it can do with the three of us here.”

“Save him.” Shima whispered softly and Kenzaki stepped forward to do just that.

“Hajime,” he said, gentle, smiling, trusting. “It’s okay.”

The Joker let out a deep growl, crouching itself into a ready position. It almost seemed scared to Kenzaki, nothing more than a frightened animal, so Kenzaki pushed himself to move closer, hands up and away from his rider belt.

“Hajime.” Kenzaki called. “ _Hajime._ ”

The Joker seemed to pause. Body twitching in abhorrent movements and it too stepped closer to Kenzaki. The others jerked forward, instinct telling them to protect their friend, but Shima stopped them, quietly shaking his head.

It seemed to take forever, with the Joker’s shaky movements and hissing breaths, interspersed with what Kenzaki could only assume were words in the Undead’s true language, but it took scarcely a minute for it to finally reach the other rider. Then, the Joker, no, _Hajime_ , tentatively reached out a scaled hand to Kenzaki’s face, as if asking a question, and Kenzaki softened, almost leaning into the touch.

“You’re safe now, Hajime.”

There was a flash of light that Kenzaki quickly turned his face from in shock. Then there was just Hajime, gasping, baffled, and _human._ His name fell quickly, desperately, from Kenzaki’s mouth and soon Hajime was stumbling face first into Kenzaki’s chest, fingers clutching the soft fabric of the other’s shirt. And Kenzaki was laughing, loud and unbridled, wrapping his arms tightly around the trembling man.

“You’re _home_.”   

> 1.

The celebration that follows is one they will always remember. Haruka isn’t quite sure what it is exactly they’re celebrating, but the sheer joy that seems to pour from everyone in attendance tells her that she doesn’t need to know, as long as they’re all home and _safe_.

Hajime doesn’t last too long upstairs, the Joker form had always taken most of his stamina, and the day had simply been long in general, so when the others burst out with loud cheers at the cake Kotarou brings out, he slips away to his bedroom.

It isn’t long until someone joins him.

Kenzaki had never been much of a drinker, seeing it as more a social activity one did with friends which, before Kotarou, Kenzaki did not have a lot of. Besides, every time he drank with others, it usually ended with him losing an exorbitant amount of cash and a hangover that lasted him two weeks. But, tonight is special. Tonight is _different_. So it’s hardly his fault he has more than his share of sake; Kotarou was the one that kept pouring him shots, and that he suddenly decides he needs to see Hajime _right this very instant_.

Shiori tries to distract him, or at least warn him, but Kenzaki is drunk, stubborn and very, very aware of the fact their party is missing a certain someone.

So he stumbles his way downstairs.

(Shiori sighs a little into her cup, shaking her head over “Silly boys,” before allowing herself to be pulled up by Kotarou and danced around the room.)

Kenzaki has little grace when he barges into Hajime’s room. But, even if he had entered with the soft footedness of a cat, Hajime would have still sensed his presence. It seems to be left over from Kenzaki’s time using the King Form, not that Hajime particularly minds.

Despite the fair amount of warning he’s given though, he still isn’t quite ready for Kenzaki to suddenly belly flop across him. Kenzaki gives a low whine in his sprawled position before rearranging himself, tossing one leg over Hajime’s waist and curling his arms protectively around the other’s head, ensuring that he is pressed firmly against the other’s side.

“Come upstairs.” he demands, tone petulant and his breath reeking of the numerous shots of sake he had taken.

“No.” Hajime almost laughs when Kenzaki huffs and shifts, as if attempting to make sure not a single part of him isn’t attached to Hajime.

“If you don’t come upstairs, I’ll stay down here and bug you until you do.” Kenzaki threatens, but his tone is already softening and his breath is coming out in small gasps as his body already begins to settle down for sleep. (Too much alcohol plus a very comfy bed rarely ends in anything exciting.)

“All right.” Hajime agrees, shifting so Kenzaki isn’t pressing against anything too uncomfortably.

It isn’t long before quiet snores begin to fill the air.

Hajime’s awake _now_ so he takes the opportunity to observe his fellow rider. His eyes are much better than humans’ in the dark and he’s not entirely sure he’ll be able to fall back asleep anytime soon anyways, so Kenzaki Watching is really the only enjoyable course of action. There’s a certain innocence to him that Hajime is always amazed he’s been able to hold onto. Hajime knows little of Kenzaki’s past, save for the name of a childhood crush, but he knows he’s been through more than a man his age should have.

Eventually the persistent scrutiny nudges the fighting instinct in Kenzaki awake and he opens his eyes, blinking blearily at the man in front of him. Hajime does nothing to hide his stare and when Kenzaki finally recognizes him, he pouts, tightening his grip once more.

He pulls Hajime close enough that their noses are touching and while Hajime is surprised at the intimacy, he’s not entirely uncomfortable, so he makes no effort to pull away. After a soft sigh, Kenzaki speaks, quiet and needy. “Don’t leave me. Okay? You’re not allowed to leave me.”

Hajime considers this for a second.

“Okay.”

“Promise?” Kenzaki asks and Hajime has to smile. He sounds like Amane. It’s cute.

“I promise.”

Kenzaki beams at that, and the promise is almost worth it solely for that reason, and tucks Hajime in close to his body. His lips press against Hajime’s forehead in what’s not quite a kiss, but not quite nothing either, and Hajime feels his eyes close as he leans into it.

Shiori comes looking for Kenzaki eventually, her steps much lighter and tentative as she approaches Hajime’s door. She knocks once before gently calling Kenzaki’s name and is a little startled when it’s Hajime who replies, “He’s fine.”

She has no energy to argue, and also sees no reason to, so she just gives them both a soft, “Good night,” and retreats back upstairs. She highly doubts any of them will be heading back home tonight anyways.

> 2.

It’s a quiet fall night the next time Hajime finds himself at Kotarou’s house. Haruka had asked a favour of him, Kotarou had borrowed some of her baking pans and she needed them back for the cafe, but it doesn’t take him long as Kotarou had already laid them out on table for him. It’s only when he’s approaching his bike that finally notices a shadow sprawled across the lawn.

“Kenzaki,” he says, as concise as ever, walking over to the lounging figure before standing over him with a puzzled expression.

“Hajime.” Kenzaki beams in response.

“What are you doing?” he asks, tilting his head up, searching the sky for whatever had caught the other’s attention.

“Just watching the stars.” Kenzaki’s voice seems far away as he looks past Hajime and into the great abyss above them.

Hajime, nor any other Undead to his knowledge, had ever thought to watch the stars. They were too far away to be of any concern. Just small pinpricks of light blurred against the darkness. But, the humans, of course, loved the night sky. They had always been weird about watching things far from them. (Hajime would never truly understand the intrigue of birdwatching that so many of Haruka’s customers seemed to chatter about. Why follow something that you are not hunting?)

He ends up joining Kenzaki, when the boy tugs insistently on his pant leg and gives him some room on his blanket. Their familiar and amicable silence lasts for a while, but soon Kenzaki finds himself breaking it.

“I used to watch the stars with my parents a lot.” he admits, his tone becoming oddly melancholy. “I’ve been thinking about them more since… since the battle ended.”

He seems to search the sky then, hoping to find a trace of _something_. Hajime wishes he knew what it was.

“Where are they?” he ends up asking. He feels that he both _needs_ to ask this question, and that he should already know the answer. But he also knows they’ve never exactly had the time to discuss each other’s pasts.

“They both died.” Kenzaki answers, soft and sad - honest under the blanket of stars. “In a fire when I was a kid.”

It’s here that Hajime suddenly becomes keenly aware that while Kenzaki seemed to understand him to his very foundations, he knows almost nothing of the boy’s background. Before tonight it just hadn’t seemed important. But now, in the presence of Kenzaki’s quiet sorrow, nothing else seems to matter.

“What were they like?” Hajime asks softly and he feels Kenzaki jerk in surprise at the question. Kenzaki watches him for a brief second, while Hajime keeps his gaze on the stars before settling back down, his arm a solid source of heat against his own. He lets out a low hum. It almost seems like he isn’t going to answer, but when Hajime goes to retract his request, he begins.

He tells him of the time they went for ice cream and how he cried when they didn’t have his favourite flavour, so his father told him to shut his eyes, and when he opened them, he found an ice cream cone with almost every flavour mixed in. (“So I could find a new one I liked,” Kenzaki explains with a boyish grin.)

He tells him of the time his mother found him running around with one of her most expensive blankets tied around his neck, pretending to be the Bestest Superhero of All Times and how she didn’t punish him but instead tied another around her own neck and immediately became his sidekick.

He tells him stories of family dinners and failed tests, of his mother’s smile and how he’s forgotten his father’s laugh. Between the heartbreak and laughter, Hajime finds their fingers have tangled together.

Hajime had held hands with Amane before, the young girl almost always opting to lace their fingers together when they went out to do chores, but this felt different. He gives Kenzaki’s hand a small squeeze to test out what he feels like and finally Kenzaki is turning his head to look at him. Hajime moves his gaze from their hands to meet Kenzaki’s eye and is immediately greeted with a shy grin.

Kenzaki shifts to lay on his hip and seems to be wanting to continue their conversation face to face when suddenly his eyes are widening and he’s shouting right in Hajime’s face, “How can your hands be so warm?!”

Hajime just blinks.

“All Undead can regulate their body temperature.”

Hajime never really felt the cold, or the heat. If he ever entered an area with an extreme rise or drop in temperature, he simply altered his own to ensure he was comfortable.

Humans, he realizes belatedly, did not have this luxury.

“So you can make any part of you as warm or cold as you want?” Kenzaki asks in wonder, both of his hands clasping Hajime’s now. Hajime nods, his attention drawn to just how _cold_ Kenzaki’s hands are. As Kenzaki continues to marvel at him, Hajime rolls to his side and covers both of Kenzaki’s hands with his own.

“How was it you humans were the ones who managed to survive.” he mumbles, but there’s humour in it that Kenzaki catches, shown in the soft mist that forms from the laugh he lets out.

“I can see my breath!” he chirps, letting out another puff of air to demonstrate this fact. He persists in letting out small breaths until Hajime tries as well.

Lulled by the comfort the two find in each other and the warmth from their conjoined hands, their conversation begins to dwindle and Kenzaki’s voice slowly hushes until sleep catches him firmly. Hajime isn’t aware he too has fallen asleep until he finds himself waking to violent tremors. It takes him longer than he’d like to admit to realize they’re coming from Kenzaki and that they are nothing more than the idiot shivering from the cold.

“Kenzaki.” His only response in another shiver. “ _Kenzaki._ ”

Kenzaki opens his eyes finally at this, although his body continues to shake from the cold.

“Ha-Hajime?” He chatters out, his hand tightening its grip on the other.

“Come on.” Hajime instructs, pushing himself to an upright position. “Let’s get you inside.”

“O-Okay.” Kenzaki agrees and goes easy when Hajime pulls at him. The only resistance he offers is when Hajime attempts to separate himself from the other at the front door. The tug he feels his gentle, but insistent, and he turns to look at their intertwined hands before back up at Kenzaki’s face.

There’s an indiscernible expression on Kenzaki’s face but Hajime can see a trace of worry, so he squeezes the other’s hands once before ensuring him he will come back to visit tomorrow. It’s all he can offer, but it seems to appease the still trembling boy as Kenzaki smiles and wishes him goodnight. Hajime waits until the door is shut and he can no longer hear Kenzaki climbing the stairs to turn around and make his way back to his bike.

(He arrives home to a meal set out for him and Amane asleep in a chair next to it. She he carries all the way to her bed, chuckling softly the entire time.)

> 3.

The Undead don’t get sick. They can be poisoned and injured, but they do not fall ill.

The humans, of course, were not blessed with this immunity.

Hajime is back at Kotarou’s at Haruka’s request once more, this time to bring over some research material left by the younger man. Hajime was becoming vaguely suspicious of how often Haruka seemed to be sending him over lately and her pleased smile, that she tried to hide by biting her lip, when she said, “Say hi to Kenzaki for me!” did nothing to lessen this suspicion. Nevertheless, he could not refuse her and soon found himself swinging his leg over his bike.

The house is quiet when he enters. After scanning the yard to see if Kenzaki is back outside watching the _clouds_ or something equally ridiculous, Hajime hates the small seed of disappointment that grows when he realizes Kenzaki may not even be home.

He moves quicker then, hoping to just leave the papers on one of the cluttered tables wedged in Kotarou’s home. The mess had only gotten worse since the “end” of the Battle Royale, with Kotarou desperate to scribble down as many notes and facts as he could before it all faded from their memories. (Kotarou hasn’t yet worked up the courage to interview Hajime on the details of the Joker, but Hajime knows he wants to from the half started sentences with stuttering apologies and quick retreats.)

When he enters the living room he is greeted with the expected mess and an unexpected whine. 

Turning his head to the sound, Hajime finds one writhing Kenzaki whimpering on the couch. Hajime drops to his knees beside the boy immediately and it isn’t hard to discern the cause of his distress. One touch to his sweat-sheened forehead tells Hajime that Kenzaki is running a high fever.

Several curses from his original tongue fall unwillingly from his mouth as he hisses out, wondering where exactly the others were and why they had left Kenzaki in such a state. (He discovers later that they were all out on either business or to buy medication.) Hajime locates a cloth, presumably left atop Kenzaki’s forehead though it had fallen off in his tossing, and presses it gently against the other’s fevered brow, cooling it as he does. When he also moves to brush the hair from Kenzaki’s eyes, he wakes, his eyes cloudy and far away.

“Mom…?” He whispers out and Hajime cannot ignore the pain in his chest.

 “I am not your mother,” he murmurs, soft and soothing. Kenzaki blinks a few more times, clearing away the clouds.

“Hajime?” He asks this time, his voice a little louder though no more steady. He tries to sit up but Hajime keeps a firm hand on his chest.

“Yes.” Hajime reassures when Kenzaki has relaxed back into the couch. With a low hum Hajime reaches forward to properly brush the hair from Kenzaki’s face, teasing him for being such an easily felled human as he does so. Kenzaki huffs, of course, grumbling a little about how Hirose had already chastised him and that he doesn’t need to hear it again. Hajime is sure he also mumbles something about “Stupid bugs with stupid inhuman immune systems” but he can’t be sure.

Eventually, between Hajime’s cooled hand resting against his cheek and the quiet hum of an empty house, Kenzaki is soothed back to sleep. Hirose arrives not long after, with an accidental door slam, both hands full from shopping, and hushed exclamations. She doesn’t scream when she sees Hajime, though he does give her a start. In fact, she almost seems to be expecting him as she sighs out and begins to unpack the various medicines from her shopping bags.

“It’s really his own fault he got sick. Who sleeps outside in the middle of October?” She grouses, seemingly to both Hajime and no one at the same time. She only shoos him away briefly, to check Kenzaki’s temperature and tsk when it still reads higher than it should.

Hajime almost finds it amusing how easily she falls into putting him to work. With how naturally she instructs him, he’s not surprised she was the one who handled the reins in their operation.

When Kenzaki’s properly medicated she gives one more sigh before turning her head to meet Hajime’s eye. She seems to pause over her next question, eyes narrowing in thought briefly, before: “Could you carry him upstairs?”

Hajime simply stares in response.

“He needs to rest,” Hirose explains, “And Kotarou will be home soon. It’ll be better for him to be away from the noise. I’ll check on him, to make sure the fever doesn’t get any worse.”

A month ago, Hajime would have been irritated at how quickly she perceived his concerns. Not three months ago, he would have been aggravated at the implication that he was concerned at all.

So much had changed in such a short time.

He doesn’t verbalize his response, simply nods his head in understanding before moving to pick Kenzaki up. Kenzaki stirs awake twice, once when Hajime lifts him, and again when Hajime places him back down and turns to leave.

The childish whine that escapes Kenzaki almost sounds like a plea so Hajime quickly finds himself kneeling at Kenzaki’s side once again. However, even when Hajime gently reminds Kenzaki he’s still here or traces the knuckles of Kenzaki’s hand, he refuses to relax.

Hajime tries to think back, to remember Haruka’s methods for soothing Amane to sleep, but when that yields nothing, he ends up simply giving a low sigh, mumbling, “You’re so much work,” and gently moving Kenzaki over so he can crawl in beside him. 

He’s awkward, all of Hajime’s intimate encounters with other people were often initiated and controlled by them, so he’s not entirely sure how to go about...this. He thinks back on the night of the party and eventually mirror’s Kenzaki’s position, tucking his arm beneath the other’s head and bringing him in close. It seems to work, Kenzaki frowning only briefly, and that’s quickly lost when he shifts himself into a more comfortable position and hides his face in Hajime’s chest.

Hajime weakly tells himself he’s only doing it to pay Kenzaki back for all he has done for him but he knows he is lying and refuses to think more on the subject as he allows himself to fall asleep.

When Kenzaki finally wakes, he’s gifted with a clear head, the ability to properly _breathe_ , and Hajime’s sleeping face. His stomach rumbles and the faint scent of Kotarou’s cooking is wafting up from the kitchen, but Kenzaki just grins and nestles back down into Hajime’s arms.

He’s sure food can wait.

> 4.

When guests came to the house, Kenzaki would always offer his bed. It was practically routine at this point. Hajime _also_ being kicked out of his bed and therefore forced to sleep on one of their couches, however, is a new addition.

Kenzaki rests on his back, eyes following the blurred, shadowy shapes on the roof as his fingers tap out a forgotten rhythm on his stomach. His legs dangle awkwardly off his couch, but, as he is much too long for any couch, he’s become accustomed to a variety of awkward sleeping positions. 

Hajime rests off to the left of him, breathing even and eyes presumably shut. Kenzaki’s not quite ready for sleep, something in his body warning him of an impending nightmare, but he doesn’t wish to keep harrassing Hajime for entertainment. The other had humoured him for the first hour, but had started to drift in the last, so Kenzaki had sighed and attempted to amuse himself.

After another thirty minutes of trying to name every shadow on the roof, Kenzaki hears Hajime stir. He rolls quickly to his side, quietly hopeful the other is awake again and willing to go back to their discussion of the best type of pizza, when a small whimper escapes the other man.

Kenzaki is immediately up and on guard. It hurts, hearing such a grounded man sounding so _sad._ Gently, he calls out Hajime’s name, but all he receives in response is a gasp and the sound of weak thrashing. Kenzaki calls for Hajime more insistently this time but it still doesn’t do any good, so Kenzaki tosses off his own blankets to kneel beside him.

The sweat on his brow and rapid breaths are the only signs Kenzaki needs to catch to know that Hajime is in the midst of a nightmare. Worrying his lip, Kenzaki contemplates his next move. He doesn’t want Hajime to suffer through his distress anymore, but he also knows being woken abruptly can be just as frightening at times.

He contemplates for a few more seconds, but just as he reaches his decision, Hajime’s eyes snap open and Kenzaki is facing down a rather frightening foe.

“Hajime?!” Kenzaki shouts, more startled than frightened. Luckily, Hajime seems to break from his nightmare quickly and his snarl fades as recognition takes it place.

“Kenzaki…?” Hajime whispers softly and his voice is still so _sad_. He reaches out with one hand and Kenzaki immediately takes it in his own and presses it against his face, desperate to reassure the frightened man.

“I’m here, Hajime.” 

The only reply he gets is a shaky exhale, but Hajime slowly loses the tension in his body and that’s all Kenzaki really needs. He holds the other there for a couple minutes, waiting for his breath to even out, before gently prying for the details of his nightmare.

Hajime looks wary at first, when his eyes meet Kenzaki’s, and then he just looks plain upset and Kenzaki can’t stand it, so he presses Hajime’s hand even harder against his face. It’s a very strange comforting tactic, he’s sure, but he has nothing else.

“It’s okay, Hajime,” he repeats. “I’m here.” 

Hajime searches his face for a moment before sighing and letting his hand slide from Kenzaki’s face, bringing it back to his lap. Kenzaki doesn’t follow him, but still shifts so he’s close.

“I…” Hajime starts, brows furrowing as he tries to gather himself. “I dreamt about being the Joker again.”

That’s all Kenzaki really needs to hear, but Hajime continues, as if unable to stop now that he has started.

“It’s happened before, but usually it’s just Amane and Haruka in the dreams but this time… this time..”

Dreams of being the Joker were not uncommon for Hajime, though they were usually vague and blurry, drowned out by blinding lights and disconnected screaming from both people and roaches alike.

This time, however, was different.

This time, Hajime felt the blood on his taloned hand as it pierced Kenzaki’s chest. This time he remembered the feel on Kenzaki’s fingers weakly grabbing his arm and the bloodied smile he wore as he continued to happily call Hajime’s name. This time he couldn’t even scream as he watched Kenzaki’s body fall still to the earth.

“I… you, I…” Hajime gasps out, his shallow breathing returning.

“Hey,” Kenzaki calls softly, breaking Hajime from his sorrow. “It was just a dream, Hajime, I’m right here.”

Hajime still looks cautious so Kenzaki gains a goofy grin, leaning forward on his protesting knees and elbows, “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.” 

He’s trying to get a smile out of the other man, but Hajime’s face remains still as he continues to observe Kenzaki.

“You’re here.” he says, as if reminding himself. “ _You’re here._ ”

He drops his head at that, leaning forward so it lands on one of Kenzaki’s shoulders. The boy’s knees are loudly protesting now, so he gives a small groan and shifts. Wrapping his arms around Hajime’s torso, he goes to pull them back towards his couch, but Hajime protests, his hand clenching too tight around Kenzaki’s bicep. Moving to a whine now, Kenzaki decides that he’s finally too tired to put any more effort into things, and pushes Hajime onto the couch instead. He goes easy, so Kenzaki gives no complaints as he rearranges himself to fit onto this couch, as well as Hajime.

It’s not twenty minutes later that snores begin to sound from both of them.

When Kotarou comes downstairs the next morning he’s quite proud of himself for only making a small face, and it’s honestly mostly just of shock, when he enters the living room and discovers Kenzaki and Hajime cuddling on the couch. It’s actually kind of cute, in a way. With the smaller of the two, Hajime, lying flat on his back while Kenzaki, the much longer one, is sprawled across his chest, his face tucked in the other’s neck. _Apparently_ , not that Kotarou ever needed to _know_ this, Kenzaki likes being the little spoon.

Who would have guessed.

He lets out one small sigh, they really are so _obvious_ , before he looks back up and catches Hajime’s now open eyes. He’s a little surprised, but not much, when all he senses from Hajime is vague wariness, probably from being woken up and watched, and gentle protectiveness. Kotarou notices Hajime shift slightly, his grip tightening on Kenzaki as he and Kotarou continue their unexpected staring contest, by which Kotarou is vaguely offended. When had he ever expressed a desire to hurt Kenzaki? Some people, really.

Not wanting to wake Kenzaki, or cause a scene at 7:45 in the morning, Koutarou just awkwardly nods a quiet good morning and slips off into the kitchen to both start breakfast and get away from Hajime’s persistent stare.

This time it’s Hajime who lets out a quiet sigh. Fully accepting he won’t be able to fall back asleep now, he goes to move, but as always, Kenzaki rejects this plan, giving a small whine and pressing even closer. If Hajime truly wanted to, he could throw Kenzaki off without much trouble, but he can feel the steady and gentle thrum of Kenzaki’s heartbeat on his chest and decides, even if he can’t sleep, he could still rest.

(He’d also been told by Kenzaki on many occasions that Kotarou makes an _excellent_ breakfast.)

> +1 

Hajime arrives on his own this time. He doesn’t hide behind an excuse of an errand nor does he try to explain his sudden arrival. He simply knocks on the door, greets Kenzaki when he opens it, and walks in.

The house isn’t quiet for once. He can hear Kotarou frantically typing at this computer while Hirose stands behind him, correcting his mistakes and scolding him when he types one of their names. (“Even if it’s non-fiction you need to keep BOARD a secret!”) When he approaches the living room entrance the duo turns to him only briefly, nodding only a quick hello before bringing their focus back to Kotarou’s novel.

It’s warming, in a way. Their acceptance of him in their life. Hajime had never let himself really think about having a family before, and now, he realizes, he could very well find one in more people than just Amane and Haruka.

A snort catches his attention and he finds Tachibana asleep, arms crossed and head drooping as he sits tucked away in the corner of the couch. Hajime smiles a bit at this, remembering how it wasn’t too long ago that the very same man would have leaped at his presence, body set for a fight.

Hajime holds no bitterness towards Tachibana. He knows the older man had only wished to protect Kenzaki and it’s hard to be angry with someone when your desires are the same.

Kenzaki catches his hand then, shy but insistent as his fingers curl around Hajime’s. Hajime spares the room one more glance - Hirose has forced herself over Kotarou’s shoulder and is now rapidly typing something despite the other’s loud and distressed protests - before allowing Kenzaki to lead him upstairs. From outside Hajime can also hear the tiger Undead, presumably training Mutsuki if the repetitive “Too weak!” and “Too slow!” are anything to go by. He can feel a faint twinge of the Joker but he tightens his grip on Kenzaki’s hand and it  goes silent.

They end up in Kenzaki’s room, on Kenzaki’s (newly acquired, honest to god) bed, awkwardly facing one another. Their position is not novel, but somehow the feeling is still completely different.

Neither had ever been such an active participant before. 

They keep to silence, Hajime content to watch Kenzaki as the other watched his fingers trace over their tangled hands. Eventually silence gives way to speech, as it always does.

“You’re not allowed to leave me, okay?” Kenzaki mumbles, his face in a faint pout, and Hajime genuinely laughs.

“I have to leave for work eventually,” he reminds the other and Kenzaki just frowns, looking younger than he already does with puffed out cheeks and an annoyed expression.

“I know _that_ ,” he grumbles, “I mean, you’re not allowed to leave _forever_.”

Hajime simply smiles and shifts so he can press his forehead against Kenzaki’s, eyes still downcast and focused on their hands, as he gently reminds him that he had already made this promise. It seems Kenzaki’s memory has failed him on this account.

“Really?!" 

“Yes. You don’t remember?” 

Hajime is more amused than anything by the look of utter shock and offense Kenzaki’s face takes. The boy lets out a small, flabbergasted huff before he’s laughing outright and crowding Hajime’s personal space even more with a delighted kiss.

“Good,” he says as he breaks away, voice and face smug, “You better not break it.”

Hajime makes sure to meet Kenzaki’s eyes as his face softens. He never knew he could find a happiness like this, and he is sure he never wants to let it go.

So he makes a promise he know he will keep, even though he knows it’s one Kenzaki will eventually have to break.

Mortality was really the most heartbreaking thing about humans.

“I won’t.”

**Author's Note:**

> Me at my own ending: why  
> Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed your gift!!! I don’t excel at writing longer pieces, but since your prompt had so many of my favourite things, I couldn’t resist writing them all!!!!
> 
> And so, once more, happiest of holidays to you and to all the suffering KenHaji fans out there! May this bring you at least a little bit of fluffy comfort. even if my ending is a kick in the face.
> 
> although!! if you're looking for a good fix it fic, oryx has my absolute favourite. it's titled: the grail dialogue  
> you should check it out!


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